The invention relates to a collector for the liquid phase of the working medium of an air-conditioning system, comprising a first and second connecting channel which are guided at a diametral distance and parallel to one another vertically through a solid head-side end wall of a cylindrical collecting container provided for the vertical arrangement and comprising a piping system connected to the second connecting channel which is guided through the interior of the collecting container and runs through its bottom region with a deflection and its end piece discharges openly in the upper region of the collecting container, wherein the piping system in the area of the deflection has at least one opening for returning collected oil into the circuit of the air-conditioning system.
A collector of this type is known from EP 1046872. Since the inlet opening of the open end piece of the pipe of this collector is arranged opposite to the head-side intake channel, the open end piece is enclosed by a hood which also causes a deflection of the inflowing medium to the container wall and downwards. A separation of the liquid phase and especially its oil fraction is not favoured by such flow guidance. Usage of this collector for higher pressures and with an inverted direction of flow is not provided.
The object of the invention is to provide a collector of said type which has an improved separating effect with a simple design structure and which is especially also suitable for the heating mode of a CO2 air-conditioning system.